Can You Freeze Edam Cheese?: Most dairy products are stocked up in our kitchen pantry or in the freezer for a longer time of preservation. But, most dairy products don’t freeze quite well if kept for a longer period of time, but when it comes to Edam cheese we may wonder whether it is going to show the same results or not when frozen. Edam cheese is generally semi-hard cheese made from part-skimmed milk and cheese curd.
Hence, when we freeze it for better preservation, it is important for us to know how to do it properly if we want to have control over its texture. In this article, you will learn about some amazing tips on storing Edam cheese and some other amazing tips to follow to get the best results out of it. So without wasting any more time, let’s get started with today’s article.
- Can You Freeze Edam Cheese?
- Can You Freeze Edam Cheese Slices?
- How To Freeze Edam Cheese In Blocks?
- Best Tips To Freeze Edam Cheese
- How Long Does Edam Cheese Last?
- How Do You Defrost Frozen Edam Cheese?
- Can You Refreeze Edam Cheese?
- How To Tell If Edam Cheese Is Bad?
- FAQs on Can I Freeze Edam Cheese?
Can You Freeze Edam Cheese?
Well, there is no on-point answer to this question. Yes, you can freeze Edam to preserve it, but whether it is showing its best form after freezing or not, totally depends on how we use it. As already mentioned above, Edam is quite hard and has a rubbery texture. Hence when frozen, Edam is highly likely to ruin its texture and turn grainy and crumbly.
Hence if you are planning to use frozen Edam as raw as a garnish on sandwiches, soups, or other recipes and you are not going to like it because of the harsh rubbery texture that is going to hit your tongue. However, if you can melt and cook the cheese into other dishes then it is going to taste ok. The sections below will tell you whether you can freeze your Edam in slices or blocks and how to.
Can You Freeze Edam Cheese Slices?
If you are planning to freeze your Edam in slices then you are quite likely to notice that the textural changes have started coming in way quicker because cutting Edam into slices will expose a larger surface area of the cheese to the outside air. The best idea we can suggest is to avoid freezing your Edam cheese in blocks. In the section below, we have mentioned a step-by-step guide to help you store your Edam cheese in blocks inside the freezer.
However, if at all you need to freeze your Edam in slices, then you can try the same method as mentioned for Edam blocks, but make sure to wrap individual slices very tightly in rolls with cling film or baking paper and then store them in a freezer-safe bag.
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How To Freeze Edam Cheese In Blocks?
Freezing Edam cheese in blocks is by far considered to be the best method of preserving your Edam and holding on to its original texture for the longest time possible. Here are the steps mentioned following which you can freeze your opened pack of Edam cheese for a considerable amount of time:
- Take your leftover block of Edam cheese and portion it up by cutting it into smaller blocks as per your consumption style but make sure to avoid wastage.
- Next, you need to wrap these individual blocks with a layer of baking paper or plastic sling film followed by a layer of aluminum foil.
- This method of double wrapping will prevent oxidation due to air exposure from occurring on the surface of your cheese since it is highly potential in ruining its texture.
- Finally, place each of these wrapped blocks of Edam cheese into a freezer-safe bag or an airtight container and place it inside the freezer.
Best Tips To Freeze Edam Cheese
Now that you know how to store your Edam cheese properly both in blocks and slices then it is important for you to be aware of some tips that will help you achieve amazing results from freezing Edam. The tips we are talking about are as follows:
- Label the actual open date. Ensure clearly put a label on your container with the type of cheese and the exact date when you opened the package. For example, you might find a massive difference in longevity between Edam, Gorgonzola, and Gouda cheese. Make sure you don’t confuse the type.
- Try consuming it cooked. Like many other dairy products, Edam also doesn’t freeze well. Consuming it raw as a garnish on dishes is not going to be much enjoyable due to the harsh texture it will hold onto. Try cooking it and using it within dishes because the cheese is going to melt and make the texture seamless.
- Wrap your Edam cheese very tightly. Air is something that is very vital to keep your Edam cheese away from because it can dry out your Edam cheese way ahead of time. Try adding some extra layers of protection so that no way air can seep in.
How Long Does Edam Cheese Last?
We know that dairy products degrade quite quickly inside the freezer in comparison to other dishes and Edam cheese doesn’t fall into any exception. The taste will not show much change but the texture is going to show heavy degradation.
Edam cheese is likely to be grainy or gritty in texture because the fats in it will freeze at a higher rate than the rest of the cheese and harden up. Hence, the maximum amount of time you keep your Edam cheese in the freezer is 3 months.
Beyond this, even though the cheese might be safe to eat, the texture and taste are going to completely shed off. If you are planning to store your Edam cheese in the refrigerator then you can make it last for up to 3-4 weeks maximum if tightly wrapped in baking paper or cling film.
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How Do You Defrost Frozen Edam Cheese?
Defrosting Edam cheese is easy and you get two options to choose from. The first is to either freeze it or thaw it slowly inside the freezer. The second option is to use a microwave to quicken up the process.
For the first option, you need to take the pack of Edam cheese out of the freezer to the fridge and let it thaw there for a couple of days very slowly, and keep consuming it from there till it’s over. For the second method, make sure to use it up immediately after defrosting in the microwave.
Can You Refreeze Edam Cheese?
Now, if you are wondering whether it is ok to refreeze Edam or not, then refreezing Edam is something you must strongly stay away from. As mentioned earlier, Edam starts losing its texture right from the first time of freezing. Hence, if you repeat the process you are simply going to accelerate this change and end up with a ruined final meal.
Instead, if you are worried about wasting your Edam cheese, try portioning it out in single or double-serving portions as per your consumption style and then freeze it so that you can defrost only the amount you need rather than thawing and refreezing the whole thing again and again.
How To Tell If Edam Cheese Is Bad?
Edam cheese is typically semi-hard in texture in its true form. If you happen to store it properly and expose it to air and moisture it will eventually go bad. Edam cheese that has gone bad will be excessively hard in texture and might develop a dark color due to oxidation.
You might also notice the foul smell and green mold patches all over the surface. Since signs depict that your Edam cheese has been invaded by bacterial decomposition and must be disposed of immediately.
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FAQs on Can I Freeze Edam Cheese?
1. How do you store unopened Edam cheese?
To store unopened Edam cheese it must be stored under refrigeration at 45 degrees Fahrenheit or below but not below the freezing point in tightly wrapped plastic cling wrap or airtight zip-locked bags.
No, since Edam Cheese is a typical semi-hard cheese it never goes bad anytime soon taking taste and safety into consideration, however, it only hardens over time making it non-consumable.
3. How long will unopened Edam cheese last in the fridge?
Edam cheese can last for up to a week inside the refrigerator if unopened and not kept touching the body of the fridge walls.
Yes, even if it is a semi-hard cheese if you grate it onto your steaming hot cooked dishes, Edam cheese will melt well.
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Concluding everything up, you now know that you can make your Edam cheese last from somewhere around 6 weeks to 4 months if proper conditions are met. To maximize the shelf life of your chunk of Edam cheese make sure you follow all the steps mentioned in this article and use double layers of packaging starting with a cling film followed by a final layer of aluminum foil for ultimate protection. That’s it! We hope you found this article capable of clearing all your doubts regarding the preservation of Edam cheese.